Cup of the Alps, Second Leg
Sunday, July 2, 1961
Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Lazio Grasshoppers 3-3
Lazio contribute to Italy winning the Cup of the Alps
The Biancocelesti had finished the season last. This was the first relegation in the history of the club.
In the early summer of 1961 Lazio had to play against Grasshoppers Zürich for their legs of the Cup of the Alps. In the first two tournaments, 8 Italian sides played against 8 Swiss in a single home and away tie. The Italian teams were Brescia, Lecco, Pro Patria, Reggiana, Parma, Monza, Fiorentina and Lazio. The nation that got more points won the trophy. Paolo Todeschini, the new manager, was on the bench.
In the first game in Switzerland, the Biancocelesti had demolished the Swiss 5-0 with braces from Claudio Bizzarri and Maurilio Prini plus a Franzini goal. Today was the return match.
The match
It was very hot in Rome for the last game of a terrible season for Lazio. The team, mentally on holiday after the 5-0 win in Zurich probably underestimated the Swiss. The Biancocelesti had started well with a couple of shots from Paolo Carosi and Prini saved by the goalkeeper.
But then on the counter attack Grasshoppers started to become dangerous. Bruno Gabrieli crossed into the box, Robert Ballaman’s header beat Idilio Cei but Adelmo Eufemi saved on the line. In the 8th minute Ballaman crossed, Eufemi hesitated and Gabrieli made it 1-0. The goal allowed the Swiss to erect a wall with 8 men in front of the goal, leaving just the wingers and centre-forward up front. The Biancocelesti were forced to attack and slowly built up their play. After six corners, in the 42nd minute they managed to equalise. Free kick taken by Prini, Marcel Poffet tried to clear, ball to Angelo Longoni who dribbled past the goalkeeper and scored.
In the second half, after a couple of shots from Bizzari and Pierluigi Pagni parried by Karl Elsener, Grasshoppers scored again. In the 66th minute Ballaman to Raymond Duret on the left, cross into the box and Peter Von Burg headed it in.
The Biancocelesti doubled the efforts to overturn the match and did so. In the 79th minute Giancarlo Morrone to Bizzarri who dribbled past Ivo Ghilardi and Elsener and gave the ball back to Morrone for the simplest of tap-ins. Three minutes later Lazio went ahead. A one-two Morrone-Bizzarri allowed the Italian oriundo to penetrate inside the box, ball to Longoni who made it three.
All over? No. One minute later, the Lazio defenders messed up and gave Giuliano Robbiani a simple chance to equalise. He did.
Not a good match for the Biancocelesti, but at least this dreadful season was over.
Who played for Lazio
Cei, Lo Buono, Eufemi, Pagni, Janich, Carosi, Longoni, Morrone, Bizzarri, Prini (19’ Napoleoni), Maraschi
Substitutes: Rossi, Franzini
Manager: Todeschini
Who played for Grasshoppers
Elsener, Poffet, Ghilardi, Baeni, Winterhofen, Faccin, Gabrieli, Von Burg, Robbiani, Ballaman, Duret
Manager: Vuko
Referee: Keller
Goals: 8’ Gabrieli, 42’ Longoni, 66’ Von Burg, 79’ Morrone, 82’ Longoni, 83’ Robbiani
Sources
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